Phenol and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons Are Stronger Drivers Than Host Plant Species in Shaping the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Component of the Mycorrhizosphere

Changes in soil microbial communities in response to hydrocarbon pollution are critical indicators of disturbed ecosystem conditions. A core component of these communities that is functionally adjusted to the life-history traits of the host and environmental factors consists of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF communities associated with Poa trivialis and Phragmites australis growing at a phenol and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated site and at an uncontaminated site were compared based on LSU rDNA sequencing. Dissimilarities in species composition and community structures indicated soil pollution as the main factor negatively affecting the AMF diversity. The AMF communities at the contaminated site were dominated by fungal generalists (Rhizophagus, Funneliformis, Claroideoglomus, Paraglomus) with wide ecological tolerance. At the control site, the AMF communities were characterized by higher taxonomic and functional diversity than those exposed to the contamination. The host plant identity was the main driver distinguishing the two AMF metacommunities. The AMF communities at the uncontaminated site were represented by Polonospora, Paraglomus, Oehlia, Nanoglomus, Rhizoglomus, Dominikia, and Microdominikia. Polonosporaceae and Paraglomeraceae were particularly dominant in the Ph. australis mycorrhizosphere. The high abundance of early diverging AMF could be due to the use of primers able to detect lineages such as Paraglomeracae that have not been recognized by previously used 18S rDNA primers.     

Ambulatory infusion suite: pre- and post-occupancy evaluation

An evaluation is presented of the experience of patients, families and staff in two infusion suites. One infusion suite was a facility occupied until 2009 and the other suite was the replacement for that facility. The primary design objectives of the new facility were to support social interaction, provide opportunities for privacy and provide visual access to nature. The effectiveness of the new facility relative to the old facility with regard to these three design objectives served as the source of hypotheses for the study. Using a Likert-style survey and open-ended questions, the findings suggest that the new facility was successful at addressing these design goals. Subjects were also queried regarding whether these design objectives were important in an infusion suite. The vast majority of the respondents in the new facility indicated that social interaction, privacy and access nature were important in this setting.

Il est présenté une évaluation de l'expérience vécue par les patients, les familles et les employés dans deux centres de perfusion. L'un des centres de perfusion était un établissement occupé jusqu'en 2009 et l'autre centre était celui qui a remplacé cet établissement. Les principaux objectifs de conception du nouvel établissement étaient de favoriser l'interaction sociale, de fournir des possibilités de vie privée et d'assurer un accès visuel à la nature. L'efficacité du nouvel établissement par rapport à l'ancien du point de vue de ces trois objectifs de conception a servi d'hypothèse pour l'étude. Obtenus en utilisant une enquête basée sur l'échelle de Likert et des questions ouvertes, les résultats suggèrent que le nouvel établissement a réussi à satisfaire à ces objectifs de conception. Il a également été demandé aux sujets de l'étude si ces objectifs de conception avaient de l'importance dans un centre de perfusion. La grande majorité des personnes interrogées dans le nouvel établissement ont indiqué que l'interaction sociale, la vie privée et l'accès à la nature étaient des éléments importants dans ce contexte.

Mots clés: établissement de lutte contre le cancer, évaluation d'établissement, soins de santé, centre de perfusion, occupation, vie privée, interaction sociale     

Diazepinoporphyrazines Containing Peripheral Styryl Substituents and Their Promising Nanomolar Photodynamic Activity against Oral Cancer Cells in Liposomal Formulations

The photochemical properties and photodynamic activity of three porphyrazines (Pzs) containing annulated diazepine rings, including novel demetalated porphyrazine‐possessing bis(styryl)diazepine moieties were investigated. The porphyrazines were evaluated in terms of their electronic absorption and emission properties, their tendency to undergo aggregation and photodegradation, as well as their singlet oxygen generation efficiency. The in vitro photodynamic activity of the porphyrazines and their liposomal formulations were examined by using two oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Magnesium(II) tribenzodiazepinoporphyrazine ( 1 ) revealed the highest phototoxic effect in both cell lines used, H413 and HSC‐3. Encapsulation of Pz 1 into L ‐α‐phosphatidyl‐d,l ‐glycerol:1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine liposomes resulted in a nearly threefold increase in photocytotoxicity relative to that of the solution of Pz 1 (IC₅₀ values of 45 and 129 nM , respectively).     

Surface Tension in Polymer Blends of Isotactic Poly(propylene) and Atactic Polystyrene

The surface tension of atactic polystyrene (PS), isotactic poly(propylene) (PP) and PS/PP‐blends, and additionally the interfacial tension between PP/PS have been measured in the temperature range between 200 and 280°C using the pendant drop method. Within the temperature range studied, the surface tension decreased linearly with increasing temperature for all systems whereas the surface tension of neat PP is approximately 7 mN/m smaller than the value of PS. The interfacial tension between PS and PP is in the range of approximately 4 mN/m and this indicates a strong incompatibility. It results a heterogeneous PP/PS blend morphology. A significant increase of the surface tension of the blends as a function of composition is observed only when the PS content exceeds 60 wt.‐%. Furthermore, microscopic observations indicate that even if the bulk matrix material is PS, a thin layer of PP can be detected by atomic force microscopy on the droplet surface used for surface tension measurements.     

Detection of microbial contamination of packaging for foodstuffs by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method

Detection of microbial contamination of packaging for foodstuffs and of the environment, using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method, is described. Quantitative determination of muramic acid, a chemical marker of bacterial peptidoglycan, has been used for this purpose. Samples of dust collected from packaging material (plastic film in the store‐room), intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, and dust from a laboratory environment were hydrolysed in aqueous hydrochloric acid and next extracted with hexane to remove hydrophobic compounds. The aqueous phase was evaporated, heated in silylation reagent to trimethylsilyl derivatives and analysed by GC–MS. Internal standard (3‐hydroxytridecanoic methyl ester) was added before silylation procedure for quantification purposes. The method described is quick and simple, can be applied to study chemical markers directly without prior culturing, in complex environmental samples (not only of packaging), and should therefore become widely used for measuring bacterial peptidoglycan. The method can be used for the detection of microbial infection in humans, hospitals, infusing fluids, contamination of biochemical and fermentation processes, and for monitoring of air, water, air‐conditioning systems, etc. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Starch‐graft copolymers of N‐vinylformamide and acrylamide modified with montmorillonite manufactured by reactive extrusion

Graft copolymers of potato starch with acrylamide, acrylamide, and acrylic acid or N‐vinylformamide in the presence of 1–16 wt % montmorillonite were manufactured via reactive extrusion. XRD and TEM measurements exhibited intercalated structure of clay dispersion (d001 distance up to 2.3 nm). The influence of graft polymer(s) system and montmorillonite content on thermal properties, water sorption as well as polyvalent metal cation (Cd²⁺ and Fe³⁺) sorption of obtained starch graft copolymers has been determined. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Composition of the lipids of lupin seed (Lupinus angustifolius L. var. “uniwhite”)

The total lipids (8.6%) extracted from whole lupin seeds (Lupinus angustifolius L. var. “Uniwhite”) were found to be comprised of triglycerides (71.1%), phospho-lipids (14.9%), free sterols (5.2%), glycolipids (3.5%), sterol and wax esters (0.5%), free alcohols (0.4%), hydrocarbons (0.4%) and unidentified waxy material (4.0%). The main fatty acids in the total lipid extract were linoleic (48.3%), oleic (31.2%), palmitic (7.6%) and linolenic (5.4%). Erucic acid was not present, nor were cyclopropenoid acids. Seed coatings constituted 23.9% of the weight of the whole seeds and contained 1.5% lipids, the main classes of which were triglycerides (38.4%), free sterols (28.0%), phospholipids (9.7%), glycolipids (9.1%) and free alcohols (3.7%). The seed coatings and kernels contained the same fatty acid constituents, but the proportions of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids were markedly different. β-Carotene was present, although at low concentration. When evaluated on its lipid composition, “Uniwhite” lupin seed appears suitable as a supplement for pig, poultry and stock feeding.     

Heterogeneity of Rapid Sand Filters and Its Effect on Contaminant Transport and Nitrification Performance

Laboratory and full-scale experiments were conducted to investigate the development and effect of heterogeneity caused by filter media nonuniformity, biofilm, particles, precipitates, and gas bubbles in rapid sand filters used for drinking-water treatment. Salt tracer experiments were conducted in laboratory columns and in a waterworks, where a new tracer method for rapid sand filters was developed. Pore-water velocities and dispersivities were estimated by fitting an analytical solution to the measured breakthrough curves. Results of the column experiments showed an increase in average longitudinal dispersivity of more than 33% in the 116?h after the start of filtration with a constant pore-water velocity and a zero-order nitrification rate of 9??mg?N/L/h. The full-scale experiments showed that the rapid sand filter was heterogeneous with pore-water velocities ranging from 2.2 to 3.3??m/h for the same inlet flow. A first-order nitrification reaction with spatially variable pore-water velocity could be interpreted as a zero-order reaction with a constant pore-water velocity. A model demonstrated that filter heterogeneity could result in higher filter outlet ammonium concentrations.     

Effect of different technological and culinary treatments on iron retention,nutritional density and recommended dietary intake in fourteen vegetable species

The present work determined iron content in fourteen species of vegetable prepared for consumption. The experimental material consisted of raw and boiled raw vegetables and two types of frozen product: one traditionally produced (blanching before freezing); the other obtained using the modified method (boiling before freezing), having the characteristics of a ready‐to‐eat convenience product. Nutrient density (ND) and recommended dietary intake (RDI) were established on the basis of iron content. The highest iron content was found in pea seeds (2.03 mg per 100 g fresh weight) and the lowest in root vegetables (0.38–0.60 mg). Iron retention was similar in all pea, broad bean, New Zealand spinach, kale, white cauliflower, celery and red beet products. In the remaining products, the significantly lowest retention was found in the traditionally frozen product (Sample C) and the highest in the ‘convenience’ frozen product (Sample D). The above‐mentioned order also applied to ND and RDI values. Only in the ND of parsnip calculated for women did any value fall below 100%.